NEW YORK -- As I lay face down on a sleek, navy-blue massage table at Aescape's headquarters here earlier this month, I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. The tech company's debut innovation, after all, is no ordinary piece of spa equipment but a technological marvel complete with two state-of-the-art robotic massage arms that hover just above my shoulders.
Unlike a typical massage, I was also fully clothed, clad from neck to ankle in a skintight, Spandex-like top and leggings set -- an outfit engineered by Aescape to create the perfect amount of friction between man and machine.
Through the table's headrest, a digital touchscreen came into view. It featured a detailed scan of my body, courtesy of the table's AI technology. On the screen's far left was a display outlining the duration of time set to be spent on each section of my upper body and glutes, while a pressure adjustment control sat to the right. At the bottom of the screen was the option to select some music, if desired. (The machine logs these preferences, saving them for future sessions.)
The massage started at the push of a button. With a gentle whir, the table's heated robot arms came to life, moving in tandem and gliding expertly along my shoulders and spine. I could stop the massage by hitting the pause button at any time, as well as summon human help if needed via an assistance button.
Those safeguards helped put my mind at ease, and as I drifted into a state of relaxation any doubts I had about a robot-powered massage quickly dissipated.
This type of robotic wellness treatment could soon be on spa menus at high-end hotels around the world.
Earlier this month, Aescape announced its first hospitality partner: the iLa Only Spa at the Lotte New York Palace in Midtown Manhattan. And according to Aescape, more hospitality partnerships are in the pipeline.
While pricing for Aescape experiences can vary by operator, guests at the iLa Only Spa can currently book a 30-minute Aescape massage for $75.
Complementing human therapists
Aescape was born in 2017, when founder and CEO Eric Litman, a seasoned entrepreneur, sought a solution to help treat his own chronic neck pain.
"Most massage therapists, while well intentioned, just weren't able to deliver what I wanted," said Litman. "And I've always been a tinkerer. So, I started thinking about automation, and the more I dug into this space, the more I understood that my problem wasn't unique."
A specialized outfit ensures the right amount of friction for a robotic massage. Source: Christina Jelski
He also said that the Aescape table, which was developed in close collaboration with hospitality professionals, can help to alleviate staff shortages in the spa space. But he emphasized that the product was designed to complement existing spa offerings, not replace human massage therapists.
"There are going to be people who love massages from a therapist," said Litman. "And we think that this empowers the really good therapist to build a closer relationship with clients and even charge more for their services, as automation comes in to service a different segment of the market."
Aescape is positioning its product as a solution for recovery-focused treatments and for time-pressed consumers looking for a more targeted and efficient massage experience. There's also an opportunity to reach consumers who might be hesitant about traditional massages, due to privacy concerns or discomfort with human touch.
For hotels, Aescape offers several advantages. The machine can extend spa operating hours, offering massages early in the morning or late at night when human therapists aren't available. The table can also help a hotel serve more guests, reducing the need to turn away clients when a spa's therapists are fully booked.
Aescape's business model is based on a licensing arrangement. Hotels pay a monthly fee of $7,500, which includes software updates, new massage content, new personalization capabilities and support. The company estimates the table's operating cost to be about $250 a day.
Tristina Damico, spa director of the iLa Only Spa at the Lotte New York Palace, said the Aescape massage table is a perfect fit for the 900-plus-room hotel, which, due to its size, attracts a large share of corporate business.
"We do a lot of corporate events, and for those attendees, their schedule is very tight, so they often don't have time for something like a 90-minute massage," said Damico, adding that, so far, the Aescape experience has helped to boost spa bookings.
"It's done nothing but enhance the business," she said. "It's been fantastic for our guests, and even our massage therapists love it, because it's very different from what they do. It's just a really well-thought-out experience."